Self-closing hinge apparatus



Nov. 5, 194i?.

H, E. HUBBS SELF-CLOSING HINGE APPARATUS Filed Aug. 12, 1939 2Sheets-Sheen l 44. l l l`. K lj:

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Nov. 5, 1940.

H E. HUBBS SELF-CLOSING HINGE APPARATUS Filed Aug. l2. 1939 2Sheets-Sham 2 3 y w www@ Heiz/31E bll/,bs

WW W Patented Nov. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-CLOSINGHINGE APPARATUS poration of Ohio Application August 12, 1939, Serial No.289,813

1 Claim.

The invention relates to self-closing hinge apparatus generally, andmore particularly to selfclosing hinge apparatus for use on relativelyheavy double acting doors in post-offices, warehouses, factories, orother places Where merchandise or materials are moved in trucks throughdoorways preferably provided with pairs of such double acting doors.

For such purposes, double acting gravity actuated hinges have beenheretofore provided, but have been objectionable because after a door sohinged has been opened, the automatic closing of the same is very rapid,and causes noise by the quick oscillation of the door on a roller on acircular inclined cam in one form of gravity hinge in use.

A rapidly operating self-closing hinge on such a door is alsoobjectionable because of the danger of catching and striking a person inthe doorway on the rebound of the door.

Moreover, a self-closing gravity hinge utilizing a roller on a circularinclined cam tendsV to be self-destructive because of the sharp jar onthe hinge parts when the door on which it is used swings by the closedposition.

The objects of the present invention include the provision of animproved self-closing oscillating or double acting hinge particularlyadapted for a heavy door, and in which the speed of the self-closingswings or oscillations of the door and the supporting hinge parts iscontrolled, thereby overcoming the foregoing disadvantages of aself-closing hinge apparatus in which the closing swings or oscillationsof the hinge parts and the door or othermember hinged thereby areuncontrolled.

Further objects of the present invention include the provision of animproved self-closing hinge apparatus of simplified and compactconstruction, and which is adapted for easy and economical production,use, and maintenance.

The foregoingand other objects are attained by the apparatus, parts,combinations and subcombinations of the present invention, the nature ofwhich is set forth in the following general statement, and by way ofexample preferred embodiments of which and their mode of operation areset forth in the following description, and which are particularly anddistinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming parthereof.

The nature of the improved hinge apparatus of the present invention maybe stated in general terms as including a member having walls forming acylinder having a preferably upwardly opening cylinder bore and acylinder head extending across one end of the cylinder bore, which isthe lower end thereof when the cylinder bore is upwardly opening for thepreferred use of the hinge for a heavy door having a Vertical axis ofhinge swing or oscillation.

A hinge pin piston member is rotatable and reciprocable in the cylinderbore of the other member, and the hinge pin piston member extendsdownwardly into the cylinder bore when the same is upwardly opening.

The cylinder head and the piston and the cylinder bore form acompression chamber therebetween, and preferably gravity actuated meansare operative upon rotation of the members with respect to each otherfrom one position usually the closed position to reciprocate andreversely rotate or oscillate the members with respect to jeach other.

Fluid, preferably air, is admitted into the ccmpression chamber throughpreferably check valved intake duct means on movements of the pistonaway from the cylinder head, and bieeder outlet duct means are providedfor discharging the compressed fluid from the compression chamber whenthe piston is moving towards the cylinder head, thereby controlling thevelocity of free swing or oscillation of the members with respect toeach otherv and the door or other part supported on one of the members.

By way of example, preferred embodiments of the improved hinge apparatusand parts thereof, are illustrated in the accompanying drawings formingpart hereof, in which Figure l is a fragmentary elevation view of a doorhinged by one preferred embodiment of the improved hinge apparatushereof for swing ing in a doorway about a vertical axis, the door beingshown in its closed position;

. Fig. 2, a fragmentary sectional View thereof as on line 2 2, Fig. l;

Fig. 3, a View similar to Fig. 2

with the door shown in an open position;

Fig 4, an enlarged fragmentary sectional view thereof as on line 4 4,Fig. 2 illustrating details of the improved hinge apparatus with theparts in their relative positions when the door is closed; and

Fig. 5, a View similar to Fig. 4, but with parts in their relativepositions when the door has been opened and is ready for self-closing.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The illustrated preferred embodiment of' the improved hinge apparatushereof is indicatedI generally by I0 and includes preferably a onepiececylinder member II which may be a steel casting, having walls forming anupwardly opening cylinder bore I2 and a cylinder head I3 extendingacross the lower end of the cylinder bore I2.

A hinge pin piston member I4 fits and extends downwardly into and isrotatable and reciprocable in the cylinder bore I2. The lower end of thehinge pin piston member I4 opposite the cylinder head I3 may preferablyhave secured thereon a leather washer I5 as by screwclamp means I6.

The cylinder head I3 and the piston I4 and the cylinder bore I2 -form acompression chamber I 1 therebetween. For admitting fluid4 to thecompression chamber, preferably check valved intake duct means areprovided which as shown are in the piston I4.

The check valved intake means in the piston I4, as shown, include acentral duct bore I8 coaxial with the vertical axis I8 of the piston I4and extending throughout the entire length of the piston. The lower endof the duct I8 is provided with a counterbore 26, and the washer I5 andscrew clamp means I6 are apertured for registering with the lower end ofthe counterbore 20. The upper shoulder 2| between the counterbore 20 andthe duct I8 provides a seat for the check valve ball 22, and atransverse pin 23 as shown extends in the lower end of the piston I4laterally across the counterbore 28 below the check valve ball 22 forpreventing the ball from dropping out of the counterbore 20 andmaintaining the ball closely adjacent to the shoulder valve seat 2|, soas to provide a check valve for the iluid intake duct means for thecompression chamber I1.

The extreme upper end of the duct I8 is closed by a lower portion of thedoor 24 mounted on the improved hinge apparatus I0. Intermediate Atheends of the piston I4 and above the upper end of the cylinder member II,the piston I4 is provided with a transverse duct bore 26 the inner endof which communicates with the vertical duct bore I8 and the outer endof which in the hinge apparatus I0 communicates with the outside air,air being preferably utilized in the improved hinge apparatus I0 as theworking fluid.

Bleeder or restricted outlet duct means are also provided fordischarging fluid from the compression chamber I1, and as shown includea transverse outlet duct bore 21 the inner end of which communicateswith the compression chamber I1 through the wall of the cylinder bore I2and the outer end of which communicates with the lower end of a verticaloutlet duct bore 28. The yupper end of the bore 28 is provided withpreferably adjustable bleeder needle valve means indicated generally by29.

The bleeder needle valve means 29 as shown includes an upper counterbore30, the lower end of which connects with the upper end of the bore 28 bya conical shoulder 3|.

The upper end of the counterbore 30 as shown is internally threaded andhas screwed therein the upper enlarged externally threaded end 32 of anadjusting needle 33 which is of less diameter than the counterbore 30and extends downwardly from the upper threaded end 32 and terminates ina conical end 34 having substantially the same taper as the conicalshoulder 3|.

The needle 33 is furthermore provided witha transverse duct 35intermediate the upper threaded end 32 and the lower conical end 34, theopposite ends of the transverse duct 35 communicating with thecounterbore 3l). A vertical duct bore 36 is provided in the needle 33,the lower end of the vertical duct bore 36 communicating with thetransverse duct bore 35 and the upper end of the vertical duct bore 36communicating with the atmosphere.

Accordingly by screwing the threaded upper end 32 of the adjustingneedle 33 upwards or downwards, the conical end 34 of the needle 33 maybe adjusted as desired closely adjacent the conical shoulder 3|, wherebythe discharge of fluid from the compression chamber I1 through thetransverse duct 21 and the vertical duct 28 may be restricted to anydesired rate, depending upon the width of the restricted annular openingbetween the conical end 34 of the needle 33 and the corneal seat 3|.

After passing through the restricted annular opening the fluid owsaround the needle 33 in the counterbore 30, through the transverse duct35 in the needle 33, and out of the vertical duct 36.

The improved hinge apparatus I0 furthermore includes means operativeupon rotation of the piston member I2 with respect to the cylindermember II from one position, usually the closed position as shown inFigs. 1, 2 and 4, to reciprocate and reversely rotate or oscillate thepiston in the cylinder bore.

The reciprocating and reversely rotating means, as shown and preferably,are gravity actuating means which include a cylindrically curved andinclined cam face 31 formed on the upper end of a U-shaped wall 38, thelower end of which is connected with a horizontal flange and mountingplate 39 extending outwardly from the upper end of the cylinder memberII.

The curved and inclined cam face 31 has a low point 40 which is locatedin a radial plane of the vertical axis I9 of swing or oscillation of thehinge pin piston I4, and the inclined cam face 31 curves preferablysymmetrically upwardly about opposite sides of the radial planecontaining the low point 40.

-The upper end of the hinge pin piston I4 is connected with a laterallyextending arm 4I from which depends downwardly at opposite sides of theU cam wall 38 laterally spaced bearing brackets 42 and 43 having alignedbearing bores therein.

A preferably tapered roller 44 is located between the bearing brackets42 and 43, and has an axial bore therein aligned with the bores of thebearing brackets 42 and 43, and a bearing pin 45 extends through thebores of the bracket 42, the roller 44, and the bracket 43; the externaltapered surface of the roller 44 resting upon and rolling on the curvedand inclined cam face 31.

The lower end of the door 24 is connected with the arm 4I as bytransverse'bolts 46. The hinge apparatus I0 is mounted on the floor 41of the doorway opening adjacent one vertically extending side door jamb48 thereof. The doorway opening furthermore includes an upperhorizontally extending head jamb piece 49 from which downwardly extendsa top pivot pin 50 having a vertical axis in alignment with theverticalswinging or oscillating axis I9 of the lower hinge pin piston|4. The lower end of the top pivot pin 50 extends into an alignedvertical bore 5I formed in the upper end of the door 24.A

As shown horizontally extending spaced head guide pieces 52 dependdownwardly at opposite sides of the head jamb piece 49 and form ahorizontally extending downwardly opening channel 53 in which ahorizontally extending follow piece 54 is arranged to slide up and down,the follow piece 54 having a vertical bore therein through which the toppivot pin I) extends. The upper horizontal end face 55 of the door 24 islocated below the lower horizontal faces of the guide pieces 52 aVsuicient distance so that the upper end face 55 of the door 24 does notstrike the guide pieces 52 at the position of extreme upper displacementof the door 24. The follow piece 54, when the door is in the closedposition, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, rests upon the upper end face 55 ofthe door 24.

The door 24 as shown is of double plank heavy construction, and in usewhen associated as above described with the improved hinge apparatusIII, when the door 24 is rotated or swung from the closed position asshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, in either direction about the vertical axisI9 of swing, the roller 44 rolls upwardly on one of the symmetricalcurved and inclined halves of the cam face 31, thereby rotating thepiston member I4 in the cylinder member I I and raising the pistonmember I4 upwardly away from the cylinder head I3 causing an increase involume of the compression chamber II and creating a reduced pressuretherein causing air to flow through the check valved inlet duct meansinto the compression chamber II, so that when' the door and hinge pinpiston I4 reach their position of extreme upward displacement from thecylinder head I3 as shown in Fig. 5, a mass of air is contained in thecompression chamber I'I. This mass of air is compressed in the chamberI'I when gravity,l upon release of the door 24 after opening the samecauses the roller 44 to roll downwardly on one side of the curved and.inclined cam face 3'I at the same time reversely rotating the hinge pinpiston member I4 and downwardly moving the same towards the cylinderhead I3.

The air in the compression chamber I1 beneath the hinge pin piston I4thus compressed on the downward stroke or movement of the piston I4,cushions the downward movement of the hinge pin member I4 and the door24 supported thereon and consequently controls and maintains at anydesired velocity the closing swinging of the door 24, depending upon therate of discharge of the air iiuid from the compression chamber JI'I asdetermined by the adjustmentof the needle valve 29, and the minimum areaof opening of the restricted outlet duct means.

At least one reciprocation of the piston member I4 in the cylindermember I I and atleast one reverse rotation of these members withrespect to each other is effected at every opening of the door 24, andusually a number of damped reciprocations and oscillations of the pistonmember I4 and the cylinder member II are effected, each time the door 24is opened, as by being struck against the corner of a push truck.

Theimproved hinge apparatus II! thus attains the objects of theinvention by controlling and laws be set forth in the claim hereof ororiginating herein, and the elements of `such claim are intended toinclude their. functional or structural' equivalents. I claim:

Hingey apparatus including walls forming an upwardly opening cylinderbore and acylinder head extending across the lower end of the cylinderbore, a downwardly extending hinge pin piston rotatable and reciprocablein the cylinder l bore and projecting above said bore into the at-vmosphere when the piston is seated on the lower end thereof, thecylinder head and piston forming a compression chamber therebetween inthe cylinder bore, gravity actuated means operated upon rotation of thehinge pin piston from one position to reciprocate and rotate the-pistonin the cylinder bore, check valvecl intake duct means in the pistonincluding a vertical duct and a transverse duct in said projectingportion of said piston for admitting air from the atmosphere to thecompression chamber, and restricted outlet duct means for dischargingair from theV compression chamber into the atmosphere.

HENRY E. HUBBS.

